NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (October 08, 2024)- The strategies and policies developed as a result of the National Consultation on Citizen Security to redress the issue of violent crime in St. Kitts and Nevis must be comprehensive and sustained, advises Nevis Premier the Honourable Mark Brantley.

The second edition of the national forum was held at the Malcolm Guishard Recreational Park in Nevis on October 04, 2024 and saw a wide cross section of stakeholders in attendance, including representatives from non-governmental organisations, faith-based groups, community groups, corporate institutions, law enforcement, and the government.

Delivering remarks Premier Brantley implored Minister of National Security the Honourable Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew and the Federal Cabinet to be consistent in following the recommendations relating to crime intervention and suppression.

“The truth is that St. Kitts and Nevis has been here before. St. Kitts and Nevis has had consultations before. St. Kitts and Nevis has had reports and roadmaps that have been done before, but we have not been consistent in terms of our approach. I say that because I want the message to go very clearly to the Honourable Prime Minister [Dr. Terrance Drew] and his team who are leading this effort that we ought not to be gathered here and consulting again in 2024 in vain.

“It has to be if we are going to be serious about tackling and confronting this problem once and for all, that whatever this leads to, whatever recommendations come forward that we once and for all decide that we will follow this path.”

The Premier pointed out that for any of the interventions to be truly effective they ought not be abandoned if there is a change in government, only for there to be another round of consultations in the event that crime again rises to a crisis level.

“I think it is important that whatever the lessons learnt, whatever we can get from the report from USAID, whatever we can get from these consultations, that we implement and that we are consistent in our implementation of the solutions.”

Also addressing making presentations at the event were the Honourable Senator Isalean Phillip, Co-Chair of the Task Force on Citizen Security; Dr. Jeanita Richardson, Professor of Public Health and Policy at Windsor University; and USAID representative Dr. Randy Seepersad, Criminologist and Coordinator of the Criminology Unit at the University of the West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago.

The presentations were followed by an interactive community consultation.